In Victoria, an e-bike is treated like a bicycle if it has working pedals and either a motor of up to 200 watts, or up to 250 watts of continuous power that only helps while you pedal and cuts out at 25 km/h. A compliant e-bike needs no licence or registration, but you must wear an approved helmet and follow the bicycle road rules, and if you're 13 or older you generally can't ride on the footpath. E-bikes that go faster or harder than that are treated as unregistered motor vehicles. Each rule below links to its official Victorian source.
The short version: 250 watts max, assistance cuts out at 25 km/h, working pedals, an approved helmet, a bell and (at night) lights. Stay off footpaths unless you're under 13 or riding with a child under 13. Factory-built e-bikes can go on Melbourne trains; converted e-bikes can't. This is general information, not legal advice, and it's current at the time of writing.
Which e-bikes are legal in Victoria?
Transport Victoria's electric bikes page lists two legal types:
- Electrically power-assisted cycle (EPAC): a motor with a maximum continuous rated power of 250 watts. The motor only helps while you're pedalling and cuts off at 25 km/h. A throttle is limited to a "walk mode" of up to 6 km/h.
- Power-assisted pedal cycle (PAPC): up to 200 watts maximum power output. Transport Victoria notes these aren't commonly sold in Australia.
All e-bikes must have working pedals. Transport Victoria advises looking for an e-bike that complies with the European EPAC standard, EN 15194, before you buy.
What makes an e-bike illegal in Victoria?
According to Transport Victoria, you can't ride an e-bike on public roads or road-related areas (which includes bike paths, shared paths and footpaths) if it:
- has no functional pedals
- has a toggle switch or other tampering that overrides the legal power limits
- gives motor assistance above 25 km/h
- has a combined continuous rated power above 250 watts
- has a petrol or other internal combustion engine
- is an electric dirt bike with high power, high speed and no working pedals.
Victoria Police says bikes that exceed these limits are classed as motor vehicles that can't be legally registered, so they can only be ridden on private property. Riding one on a road or footpath can bring fines for riding an unregistered vehicle and for riding without a licence, and Transport Victoria describes the penalties as significant.
Converted e-bikes (an ordinary bike fitted with a motor kit) are allowed on roads and shared paths only if they meet the same requirements. If you're buying second-hand, ask whether the bike has been "unlocked" or modified.
Do you need a licence or registration for an e-bike in Victoria?
No. Transport Victoria says registration and licensing aren't required if an e-bike meets the requirements above, and Victoria Police says anyone can ride a legal e-bike without a licence. Neither page sets a minimum age for riding a compliant e-bike.
Can you ride an e-bike on the footpath in Victoria?
Generally, no, if you're 13 or older. This is one of the biggest differences from South Australia, where riders of any age can use footpaths (see our guide to e-bike rules in South Australia).
Transport Victoria's bicycle road rules page says bicycle riders must ride on the road, not the footpath, with these exceptions:
- riders aged 12 and under
- adults supervising a rider aged 12 or under
- people with a medical certificate exempting them from riding on the road
- adults carrying a baby in a child seat, or towing a child who's pedalling an attached bike.
Shared paths are different: you can ride on them, but you must keep left and give way to pedestrians, and use your bell or voice to let people know you're passing.
Helmets, bells, lights and brakes
- Helmet: you must wear a helmet on a bicycle, including an e-bike. Transport Victoria's helmet page lists the accepted standards, including AS/NZS 2063 and the European EN 1078, and says the label must be on the helmet. It also suggests replacing a helmet about every five years, or straight away after a crash or a hard drop. Our e-bike helmet guide covers what to look for.
- Bell and brakes: Victoria Police says you need at least one working brake and a bell, horn or similar warning device.
- Lights: at night or in low light you need a white front light and a red rear light, each visible from at least 200 metres, plus a red rear reflector visible from at least 50 metres, according to Transport Victoria. See our e-bike lights guide for options.
Legal must-have
Knog Oi Classic
A neat, low-profile bell from Melbourne brand Knog that wraps around the handlebar, so it fits beside an e-bike's display and controls. It's an easy way to tick the bell requirement and to give people on shared paths like the Capital City Trail a friendly heads-up. It comes in small and large sizes for different bar diameters.
- Fits crowded e-bike handlebars
- Clear, pleasant ring
- Several finishes
- Choose the right size for your bar
- Quieter than a big traditional bell in heavy traffic
Phones, bike lanes and hook turns
- Phones: Transport Victoria says you can use a phone for calls, audio or GPS navigation only if it's secured in a commercially designed holder fixed to the bike and you don't touch it. Victoria Police adds that using a hand-held phone is illegal even while stopped at the lights. A good bike phone mount keeps you on the right side of this rule.
- Bike lanes: where there's a marked bike lane, you must use it unless it isn't practical, such as when it's blocked.
- Two abreast: two riders can ride side by side, no more than 1.5 metres apart.
- Hook turns: cyclists may make a hook turn to go right at any intersection unless signs say otherwise, and at some Melbourne CBD intersections all vehicles must hook turn.
- Pedestrian crossings: Victoria Police says not to ride across a pedestrian crossing unless there's a bicycle lane or a green bicycle light.
- Passing distance: drivers must leave at least 1 metre when passing a cyclist where the limit is 60 km/h or less, and 1.5 metres above 60 km/h.
Can you take an e-bike on Melbourne trains, trams and buses?
According to Transport Victoria's bicycles and public transport page:
- Metro trains: factory-built e-bikes are allowed. They must be switched off, can't be ridden or charged on board or in stations, and must be walked on platforms. Don't use the first door of the first carriage, which is kept for passengers with accessibility needs, and avoid busy peak services where you can.
- V/Line trains: bikes and e-bikes travel free, but the conductor decides whether there's space. Some long-distance lines need you to check your bike in at a staffed station at least 30 minutes before departure.
- Trams and buses: only folding bikes and folding e-bikes, within a maximum folded size of 82 x 69 x 39 cm.
- Converted e-bikes: banned from metro and regional trains and from ticketed areas, even if a bike shop did the conversion. You may be asked to leave and could be fined.
Charging and battery safety
Transport Victoria's e-bike page also includes battery advice: buy from reputable suppliers, use only the supplied charger or compatible certified equipment, don't charge on soft or flammable surfaces, don't leave batteries charging unattended, and unplug once fully charged. Our guide to e-bike battery fire safety at home goes into more detail.
FAQ
What is the speed limit for e-bikes in Victoria?
A legal EPAC's motor must stop helping at 25 km/h, according to Transport Victoria. You can go faster on pedal power alone, but road rules and speed limits still apply, and on shared paths you must give way to pedestrians.
Can I use a throttle on an e-bike in Victoria?
On a 250-watt EPAC, Transport Victoria says a throttle can only be used as a walk mode up to 6 km/h. Victoria Police says throttle-powered bikes that run without pedalling are allowed only with a combined output of up to 200 watts. A bike that can be ridden at speed on the throttle alone isn't a legal e-bike.
Can adults ride an e-bike on the footpath in Melbourne?
Usually not. Riders aged 13 and over must ride on the road or a shared path, unless they're supervising a child aged 12 or under, carrying a child in a bike seat, or have a medical exemption, according to Transport Victoria.
Do e-bikes need registration in Victoria?
Not if they're compliant. Transport Victoria says registration and licensing aren't needed for e-bikes that meet the power and speed requirements. Over-powered bikes can't be registered and can only be ridden on private property, according to Victoria Police.
Can I take my e-bike on a Melbourne tram?
Only if it's a folding e-bike within the size limits set by Transport Victoria. Full-size factory-built e-bikes can go on metro trains, but not trams or buses.